Adjustable apparatus for sliding form construction

ABSTRACT

In an apparatus for sliding form construction of vertical structures of variable cross-section, the sliding form comprises a number of sliding form portions associated with relatively movable beams. The sliding form is associated with a rigid structure movably mounted to the structure as cast. The rigid structure is provided with pressure medium actuated engaging means which are adapted, for guiding the structure, to engage the cast and hardened section of the structure. The rigid structure is provided with a mast structure connected thereto, which is intended for a crane and/or a hoist. The mast structure is suspended in the rigid structure by means of jacks to permit shifting of it independently of the sliding form.

United States Patent Ahlgren 5] Aug. 26, 1975 ADJUSTABLE APPARATUS FOR SLIDING 3,663,132 5/1972 Andersson 425/65 FORM CONSTRUCTION 3,778,491 12/1973 Andreev et a1. 425/63 3,822,858 7/1974 Franklin 249/194 [76] Inventor: Nils Harald Ahlgren, Skyttevagen 133 00 saltslobaden Sweden Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin 22 Filed; Dec 10 1973 Assistant Examiner-John McQuade 21 App]. N0; 423,536

[52] US. Cl. 249/20; 249/22; 425/63 [51] Int. Cl. E04G 11/20 [58] Field of Search 425/63-65; 249/20, 22; 264/33-34 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,131,453 5/1964 Stockton et a1 249/194 3,252,199 5/1966 Bossner 425/65 3,425,659 2/1969 Eriksson 425/63 3,453,707 7/1969 .lohansson.... 425/63 3,521,336 7/1970 Rohlf 425/63 3,552,709 1/1971 Svensson... 249/20 3,593,392 7/1971 Lambertini 1 425/63 3,659,978 5/1972 Svensson et a1. 425/63 [5 7 ABSTRACT In an apparatus for sliding form construction of vertical structures of variable cross-section, the sliding form comprises a number of sliding form portions associated with relatively movable beams. The sliding form is associated with a rigid structure movably mounted to the structure as cast. The rigid structure is provided with pressure medium actuated engaging means which are adapted, for guiding the structure, to engage the cast and hardened section of the structure. The rigid structure is provided with a mast structure connected thereto, which is intended for a crane and- /or a hoist. The mast structure is suspended in the rigid structure by means of jacks to permit shifting of it independently of the sliding form.

17 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures OVERLOAD PRO TE C T/ON PATENTEnwszslsis SHEET 1 [1F 2 This invention relates to an apparatus for sliding form construction of vertical structures of variable crosssection, the characteristic feature of the apparatus being that the sliding form comprises a number of sliding form portions associated with relatively movable beams. Also at the sliding form construction of very large concrete structures such as columns for suspension bridges the apparatus including the relatively movable beams provides a high precision at concreting in that .Lic shifting of the beams is preferably realised by means of screw-type jacks.

In a preferred embodiment the sliding form between the sliding form portions comprises corner-shaping form elements associated with the relatively movable beams and cooperating with the crossings of the beams for their fixation in the corners between the sliding form portions. The corner-shaping form elements will thus follow the crossings of the beams, said crossings forming guide means for said form elements.

The sliding form preferably cooperates with a rigid beam structure which is provided with pressure medium operated engaging means. These engaging means are adapted, for guiding the structure, to engage the cast and hardened section of the concrete structure.

The invention also relates to such an apparatus for sliding form construction, in which the sliding form is associated with a rigid structure movable in relation to the final structure as cast and in which the rigid structure is provided with a mast structure for a crane and- /or a hoist, said mast structure being connected to the rigid structure. According to the invention, the mast structure is suspended in the rigid structure by means of jacks for shifting the mast structure independent of the sliding form. As a result, the mast structure can be Stopped while the sliding form is shifted together with the rigid structure, whereupon the mast structure is lifted separately.

An embodiment of the invention will be more fully described hereinbelow by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a hollow concrete column being cast with the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a plan view on a larger scale of a corner portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a section on line IIIIII in FIG. 2, the connecting means associated with the corner-shaping form element having been omitted;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section on a larger scale of the edge of the corner-shaping form element cooperating with the adjoining sliding form portion.

1 designates the concrete column being the subject of sliding form construction with the use of the apparatus according to the present invention. The vertical col umn l is of variable cross-section. The outer sides of the column 1 are inclined inwardly towards one another, while the inner sides of the column 1 are vertical. All outer sides of the column need not necessarily incline towards one another: for example one of the sides may be vertical. Some of the inner sides may also be inclined to the vertical, in which case an apparatus according to the present invention may be disposed within the column 1.

The sliding form 2 for the outer side of the column 1 comprises a number of sliding form portions 5 and 6 associated with relatively movable beams 3 and 4. The beams 3 and 4 have their ends movably mounted on transversely extending beams 7 and 8 which are carried by a rigid beam assembly 9.

The beams 3 and 4 are arranged in two layers of each within the rigid assembly 9, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The inclination of the sliding form portions 5 and 6 is arranged by the relationships of the beams 4 or 3 with which they are associated, in their upper and lower layers and the connections 28 and 29 between the sliding form portions and the beams. Thus, when the sliding form portions 5 and 6 are inclined inwardly and their upper ends, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper connections 28 may be longer than the lower connections 29; the upper beams 3 or 4 might be positioned more further inwardly than the lower beams 3 or 4; or the connections 29 may have lateral adjustment as evidenced by connection 29 to sliding form 24.

Between the sliding form portions 5 and 6 the sliding form 2 comprises resilient corner-shaping form elements 10 associated with the relatively movable beams 3 and 4 and cooperating with the crossings of the beams 3 and4 for their fixation in the corners between the sliding fonn portions 5 and 6 independently of their relative shifting with respect to each other.

The beams 3 and 4 are adapted, for their shifting movement, to cooperate with screw-type jacks 11, 12 which ensure great precision at the shifting.

l3 designates a guide means which cooperates with the beams 3 and 4 at their crossings. As shown in the drawing, the guide means 13 has the cross-sectional shape of a triangle, whoe apex facing away from the corner-shaping form element 10 has the same angle as that of the beams 3 and 4 in relation to each other. In the embodiment illustrated, the angle is a right angle, but other angles are also conceivable. The guide means 13 comprises four angle irons 14, two of which cooperate with the beams 3 and 4 at the inner and the outer sides of the crossings, whereas the other two engage the outer sides of the beams 3 and 4 at a distance from the crossings. The angle irons 14 are kept together by transverse stays 15.

Force-absorbing adjustable connecting means 16 are provided between the resilient form elements 10 and the guide means 13 at the different corners. Adjustment is effected with the aid of the nuts 17 which cooperate with portions of right-hand and left-hand screw threads on the rod-shaped connecting means 16.

As will appear from FIG. 4, the resilient cornershaping form element 10 at the edges engaging adjacent sliding form portions is provided with contact means 18 of sheet metal or like material which are movable relative to said element and serve as edgings or linings. Contact means 18 are adapted to flex in relation to the corner-shaping element 10. Suitably, the contact means 18 are movable along the edge of the corner-shaping form element 10 so that they can move with respect to the form and/or the concrete being cast.

To make sliding form construction possible the rigid beam structure 9 is adapted to be lifted by means of the jacks 19 which to this end cooperate with climbing rods 20 embedded in the column 1. These rods 20 may be either vertical, as shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 1, or sloping as shown in the left-hand portion of FIG. 1. Both vertical and sloping climbing rods 20 may be used at the same time.

The rigid beam structure 9 is provided with vertical beams 21 which are fixedly connected thereto and extend downwards in the hollow column 1 where they engage the cast and hardened section of the structure with their engaging means 22. By this arrangement the wind pressure on the apparatus can be compensated for. A sliding form apparatus that has been obliquely loaded, can be guided back into correct position. In a preferred embodiment the engaging means 22 are pressure medium actuated so that the pressure can be adapted to the prevailing wind force. The pressure medium actuating the engaging means 22 via cylinder and piston units 23 is preferably air but it may also be a hydraulic pressure medium. It is obvious that the engaging means 22 could also be adapted to engage the outer side of the column 1. If possible they should, however, engage a vertical surface.

The sliding form 24 for the inner side of the column 1 is mounted to the vertical beams 21, but could also be mounted to a separate construction.

As will appear from FIG. 1, the rigid structure 9 is provided with a mast structure 25 connected thereto, which may be designed to carry a crane at its upper end. A concrete hoist or like apparatus may also be disposed in the interior of the mast structure 25. The mast structure is suspended in the rigid structure 9 by means of the jacks 26 and suspension elements 31 so as to be shiftable independently of the sliding form 2.

The mast structure 25 is provided with resilient elements 27 frictionally engaging the surface of the structure as cast and preferably being large spring washers. The resilient elements 27 engage the surface of the structure as cast in several directions which are at right angles to each other in a column of rectangular crosssection. As a result, the elements 27 acting transversely of the occurring movement will exert a braking effect on that movement.

The jacks 26 cooperate with an overloading protection means 30 which because of the resistance exerted by the resilient elements 27 will cause the mast structure 25 to stop when the sliding form 2 is shifted by means of the jacks 19. In this case, the mast structure 25 will have to be lifted separately afterwards by means of the jacks 26, which results in a more favourable distribution of load onto the entire apparatus.

Thus, if there is too much resistance between elements 27 and the surface of the structure which they engage say, due to wind-loading the rigid structure 9 is raised independently along the climbing rods 20, while the mast structure 25 remains stationary. For that arrangement, jacks 26 are operated to permit the suspension elements 31 to pass through them as the relative position of the mast structure 25 and the rigid structure 9 changes. The mast 25 may then be raised independently in rigid structure 9 by operating the jacks 26.

The jacks 26 in which the mast structure 25 is suspended are connected to the same pressure medium system in order that uniform loading be achieved. Oblique loading is thus avoided. 1

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An apparatus for sliding form construction of vertical structures of concrete having variable crosssection, wherein the sliding form comprises:

a plurality of sliding form portions;

a plurality of beam members in fixed angular relationship one to'another, but mounted for movement relative to one another while retaining said fixed angular relationship, the relative movement one to another of said beam members being substantially horizontal;

said sliding form portions being arranged with said beam members so that said sliding form portions may be inclined to the vertical by adjusting their relative positions with respect to said beam members;

guide members associated with each pair of beam members having fixed angular relationship between them, so as to retain said fixed angular relationship as the beams are moved relative to each other;

corner-shaping sliding form elements connected to said guide members;

and a rigid structure associated with said movable beam members and having support means therefor; so that said movable beam members are movable on said support means relative to said rigid structure;

said rigid structure being mounted so as to be raised by cooperation of climbing jack means secured thereto with climbing rods placed in said concrete structure.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable beam members cooperate with horizontally extending sliding surfaces carried by said rigid structure.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said movable beam members are mounted so as to be moved on said horizontally extending surfaces by jacks.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said corner-shaping sliding form elements are resilient so to permit them being pressed against their respective adjacent sliding form portions.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein pressure absorbing adjustable connecting means are provided for connecting said resilient corner-shaping form elements to said guide members.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the edges of said corner-shaping form elements are provided with contact elements of a material such as sheet metal, which contact elements are movable relative to said corner-shaping form elements.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said contact elements are flexible.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said contact elements are slidable along the edges of said corner-shaping form elements.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rigid structure is mounted for engagement with a surface of an already cast and hardened portion of the concrete structure being constructed.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rigid structure is further provided with a mast structure connected thereto, and wherein said mast structure is suspended from said rigid structure by means of suspension jacks so that said mast structure may be raised independently of said rigid structure.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said mast structure is provided with resilient surface engaging elements which frictionally engage a surface of the concrete structure being constructed, below said sliding form portions.

jacks are screw-type jacks.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said rigid structure engages said concrete structure by pressureabsorbing cylinder and piston means having a pressure medium.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, where said rigid structure is adapted to engage a surface of the concrete structure being constructed at a place below said sliding form portions. 

1. An apparatus for sliding form construction of vertical structures of concrete having variable cross-section, wherein the sliding form comprises: a plurality of sliding form portions; a plurality of beam members in fixed angular relationship one to another, but mounted for movement relative to one another while retaining said fixed angular relationship, the relative movement one to another of said beam members being substantially horizontal; said sliding form portions being arranged with said beam members so that said sliding form portions may be inclined to the vertical by aDjusting their relative positions with respect to said beam members; guide members associated with each pair of beam members having fixed angular relationship between them, so as to retain said fixed angular relationship as the beams are moved relative to each other; corner-shaping sliding form elements connected to said guide members; and a rigid structure associated with said movable beam members and having support means therefor; so that said movable beam members are movable on said support means relative to said rigid structure; said rigid structure being mounted so as to be raised by cooperation of climbing jack means secured thereto with climbing rods placed in said concrete structure.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable beam members cooperate with horizontally extending sliding surfaces carried by said rigid structure.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said movable beam members are mounted so as to be moved on said horizontally extending surfaces by jacks.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said corner-shaping sliding form elements are resilient so to permit them being pressed against their respective adjacent sliding form portions.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein pressure absorbing adjustable connecting means are provided for connecting said resilient corner-shaping form elements to said guide members.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the edges of said corner-shaping form elements are provided with contact elements of a material such as sheet metal, which contact elements are movable relative to said corner-shaping form elements.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said contact elements are flexible.
 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said contact elements are slidable along the edges of said corner-shaping form elements.
 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rigid structure is mounted for engagement with a surface of an already cast and hardened portion of the concrete structure being constructed.
 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rigid structure is further provided with a mast structure connected thereto, and wherein said mast structure is suspended from said rigid structure by means of suspension jacks so that said mast structure may be raised independently of said rigid structure.
 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said mast structure is provided with resilient surface engaging elements which frictionally engage a surface of the concrete structure being constructed, below said sliding form portions.
 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein a plurality of resilient surface engaging elements are provided, facing in several different directions.
 13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said suspension jacks have pressure systems which are connected to overload protection means.
 14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the said suspension jacks have pressure systems which are connected to the same pressure medium system so as to assure uniform loading of said jacks.
 15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said jacks are screw-type jacks.
 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said rigid structure engages said concrete structure by pressureabsorbing cylinder and piston means having a pressure medium.
 17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, where said rigid structure is adapted to engage a surface of the concrete structure being constructed at a place below said sliding form portions. 